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The Marshmallow Test
The Marshmallow Test
May 19, 2024 9:12 PM

Author:Walter Mischel

The Marshmallow Test

A child is presented with a marshmallow and given a choice: Eat this one now, or wait and enjoy two later. What will she do? And what are the implications for her behaviour later in life?

Walter Mischel’s now iconic 'marshmallow test,' one of the most famous experiments in the history of psychology, proved that the ability to delay gratification is critical to living a successful and fulfilling life: self-control not only predicts higher marks in school, better social and cognitive functioning, and a greater sense of self-worth; it also helps us manage stress, pursue goals more effectively, and cope with painful emotions. But is willpower prewired, or can it be taught?

In his groundbreaking new book, Dr. Mischel draws on decades of compelling research and life examples to explore the nature of willpower, identifying the cognitive skills and mental mechanisms that enable it and showing how these can be applied to challenges in everyday life--from weight control to quitting smoking, overcoming heartbreak, making major decisions, and planning for retirement.

With profound implications for the choices we make in parenting, education, public policy and self-care, The Marshmallow Test will change the way we think about who we are and what we can be. And since, as Mischel argues, a life with too much self-control can be as unfulfilling as one with too little, this book will also teach you when it’s time to ring the bell and enjoy that marshmallow.

Reviews

The Marshmallow Test is a tour de force. Despite its serious academic content, it wears its learning lightly ... this book will make [Mischel] as much of a household name as his marshmallows are.

—— Natalie Gold , The Times

This is a complex book that explores human nature, neuroscience and genetics, enlivened by a sprinkling of anecdotes. It's also a book that can show you how to change your behaviour: whether it's finally setting up that pension, cutting your alcohol intake or shunning the marshmallows for good.

—— Rosamund Urwin , Evening Standard

This is a genial, optimistic book and a rather soothing read ... it provides an important and largely painless insight into a profound transformation in psychology

—— The Sunday Times

Walter Mischel is one of the most influential psychologists of the 20th century, and The Marshmallow Test will make him one of the most influential in this century, too.

—— Steven Pinker

A top five psychology title

—— Independent on Sunday

In our go-faster era, extreme impulsivity — from trolling to air rage — seems to be on the rise. So it is an apt moment for psychologist Walter Mischel to recap his much-cited “marshmallow test” ... Mischel takes us beyond
the experiment into deep research on “delay ability”, his formulation of “hot” and “cool” cognition, speculation on the role of genetics, and the implications of his work for public policy.

—— Nature

Your view of human nature will change profoundly as you read this brilliant book.

—— Daniel Kahneman, Author of 'Thinking, Fast and Slow'

Mischel has written a wonderful book, engaging, enlightening, and profound.

—— Daniel Goleman, author of 'Emotional Intelligence' and 'Focus'

This is an amazing, eye-opening, transformative, riveting book from one of the greatest psychologists of our time.

—— Carol S. Dweck, Professor of Psychology, Stanford University

Fast-paced and engaging

—— The Wall Street Journal

This book, a compendium of his life's research, is Mischel's attempt to demonstrate that self-control can be learned ... There are lessons that may prove useful to professionals [and] strategies one can employ to distract oneself from the temptation of instant gratification.

—— The Financial Times

Prof Mischel argues that individuals can be taught self-control with persistence and a number of practical techniques ... [and] such skills are increasingly valuable.

—— The Financial Times

A picaresque journey through the human psyche - one in which the detours are at least as fascinating as the destination.

—— Mail on Sunday

This book is best read as a memoir of gratification ... it is a fascinating read and a considerable achievement.

—— The Economist

Mischel's insights are fascinating and rewarding.

—— Sunday Telegraph

Paul Bloom’s wonderfully humane, lucid and entertaining demolition of the empathy-worshippers… is a brave and necessary tract for the times

—— Paul Bloom , Irish Independent

In Against Empathy, Bloom provides a thoughtful, considered, empirically grounded case which challenges many notions that we often accept as good without really thinking them through… Against Empathy is a wonderfully argued, provocative polemic against the trend to see empathy as an unalloyed good

—— Kenan Malik , New Humanist

Superforecasting by Philip Tetlock and Dan Gardner, is one of the most interesting business and finance books published in 2015.

—— John Kay , Financial Times

The lessons of superforecasting are keenly relevant to huge swathes of our lives.

—— Matthew Syed , The Times

Tetlock writes boldly about wanting to improve what he sees as the bloated, expensive – and not terribly accurate – intelligence apparatus that advises our politicians and drives global affairs.

—— City A.M.

Philip Tetlock’s Superforecasting is a common-sense guide to thinking about decision-making and the future by a man who knows this terrain like no one else.

—— Books of the Year , Bloomberg Business

Tetlock and Gardner believe anyone can improve their forecasting ability by learning from the way they work. If that's true, people in business and finance who make an effort to do so have a lot to gain – and those who don't, much to lose.

—— Financial Post

What I found most interesting was the continuous process of integrating new information to test and modify existing beliefs … clearly a beneficial skill in financial markets

—— Citywire

Social science has enormous potential, especially when it combines 'rigorous empiricism with a resistance to absolute answers.' The work of Philip Tetlock possesses these qualities.

—— Scientific American

A fascinating book.

—— PR Week

Offers a valuable insight into the future of management.

—— CMI Management Book of the Year judges

Both rigorous and readable. The lessons are directly relevant to business, finance, government, and politics.

—— Books of the Year , Bloomberg Business

A scientific analysis of the ancient art of divination which shows that forecasting is a talent.

—— Books of the Year , Economist

Captivating . . . [Tetlock's] writing is so engaging and his argument so tantalizing, readers will quickly be drawn into the challenge . . . A must-read field guide for the intellectually curious.

—— Kirkus Reviews

A top choice [for best book of 2015] among the world’s biggest names in finance and economics . . . Eurasia Group founder Ian Bremmer, Deutsche Bank Chief U.S. Economist Joe LaVorgna, and Citigroup Vice Chairman Peter Orszag were among those giving it a thumbs-up.

—— Bloomberg Businessweek

Just as modern medicine began when a farsighted few began to collect data and keep track of outcomes, to trust objective 'scoring' over their own intuitions, it's time now for similar demands to be made of the experts who lead public opinion. It's time for evidence-based forecasting.

—— Washington Post

Tetlock and his colleagues [have] found that there is such a thing as foresight, and it’s not a gift that’s bestowed upon special people, but is a skill that can be learned and developed . . . To obtain this apparent superpower does not take a PhD or an exceptionally high IQ; it takes a certain mindset.

—— Guardian

Superforecasting is a very good book. In fact it is essential reading - which I have never said in any of my previous Management Today reviews . . . It should be on every manager's and investor's reading list around the topics du jour of decision-making, prediction and behavioural economics.

—— Andrew Wileman , Management Today

Read Philip Tetlock’s Superforecasting, instead of political pundits who don’t what they’re talking about.

—— Dominic Cummings

We should indeed apply superforecasting more systematically to government. Like systematic opinion polling, it is an aid to decision-makers and informed debate. It is ideologically neutral, unless you have a bias in favour of ignorance. This is all good.

—— Andrew Adonis , Independent
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